The US is deploying a new generation of high-speed stealth warships to the disputed waters of the South China Sea, in a move that is bound to raise tensions with Beijing..... The vessels, which cost $US440 million ($422m) each, will be deployed in the shipping lanes between Hong Kong and Singapore, where four nations are at odds with China over who owns vast areas of ocean rich in oil and gas.... The ships are designed to fight in shallow waters. ..The ships are designed to fight in shallow waters.....They carry three helicopters and special forces units with armored vehicles that can roll off a ramp into action, while fast gunboats can be launched from the stern.

Comments:
In this region it's a ship in search of a mission. With its design having high speed (50 knots), limited air power and troops or armor that can be deployed for a landing what exactly is it doing patrolling this area?

we did have the hydrofoil in Nam. how many im not sure. saw one off the coast one day. it was haulin' ass somewhere. speed up 40 MPH. that was high tech back then.

megimoo

08-22-2011, 10:18 AM

t1uZfwws2WI

sure could have used this tech in Nam

It Makes More sense to use it in the Arabian Gulf and scare the Iranian Republican Guard half to death when they open up with that Mk 110 57 mm gun, at 220 rpm when they pull their little speed boat death squad Crap...
The Mk 110 57 mm gun is a multi-purpose, small caliber gun. Based on the Bofors 57 Mk 3, the Mk 110 can fire salvos at up to 220 rounds per minute, and has a range of 9 miles (~15 km). Current and proposed mounting for the weapon include the United States Coast Guard's National Security Cutter, the upcoming Zumwalt class destroyer, and the new littoral combat ships.

To increase lethality and flexibility, the ammunition comes equipped with a smart programmeable fuse with six modes: contact, delay, time and 3 proximity fuse modes.

It also carries two Mk44 Bushmaster II 30 mm chain guns..

The Mk44 Bushmaster II is a 30 mm chain gun manufactured by Alliant Techsystems. It is a derivative of the 25 mm M242 Bushmaster, and uses some 70% of the same parts as the M242 while increasing the firepower by as much as 50% with the 20% increase in caliber size.... The barrel is chromium-plated for extended life.

One interesting possibility is the ability of the gun to be converted to a caliber of 40 mm, which involves changing the barrel and a few key parts, to use the so called Super 40 cartridge. It can also be converted to use the 30x170 mm RARDEN cartridge.

fettpett

08-22-2011, 05:10 PM

edit: the USS Freedom was built in Marinette, Wisconsin and commissioned in Milwaukee